Quote: @"Geoff Nichols" said:
I'd be cautiously optimistic. Maroon said it best that a lot of the factors that led to them under performing in 2018 will likely be gone in 2019. But simply put, if the offense can be at least average and sustain drives the Vikings can easily win 10+ games.
So sad that we are just hoping to be average on an offense that has one of the best receiver duo's in the league, a back that can take it to the house any time he gets the ball and a QB that throws for 4000+ yards annually. This draft needs to fix this line once and for all. Need to get two starting caliber lineman, the new signings are for depth.
Quote: @FSUVike said:
Loaded roster underperformed last year. Either you believe that there was a litany of factors like craptastic OC, Tony passing, no OGs that were League Average, Griff's breakdown, etc., or you think Zimmer can't coach and Cousins is overrated.
I'm not going to argue in either direction. What is inaeguable is that this roster outside of O-Line is very talented.
You and Guru have been expressing this for a couple weeks, and I'm trying to drink the Kool-Aid that 2018 was the anomaly - underperforming.
But - what if 2017 was the anomaly, and the Vikings' roster OVERPERFORMED then, and reverted to normal in 2018??
An anomaly in a series is the one which varies the most from average. The Vikings' regular season wins during Mike Zimmer's tenure have been: 7, 11, 8, 13, and 8. That's an average of 9.4 wins per season. The furthest season from that average - the anomalous outlier - is 13 wins in 2017 (3.6 wins from the average).
"They underperformed in 2018" would fit if this was a team coming off a string of double-digit win seasons and 8 wins was the worst they had done for a long time. But it's not: they had 7 or 8 wins in 3 of Zimmer's season, the most common result. If you discard the largest anomaly (13 wins), as some statistical prediction methods would, Zimmer's average season is 8.5 wins.
Maybe you deem the roster "loaded" based on some measure other than winning games. It may be inarguable that the roster is "very talented" - but teams with less talent seem to win a lot of arguments for victories on the playing field.
In terms of wins, 2018 was not the fluke - 2017 was.
Loaded rosters have failed before, J. Especially ones created primarily via FA.
Every team in the League would gladly take Smith, Rhodes, Barr, Kendricks, Joseph, Hunter, Diggs, Cook, Thielen and Rudolph and many would take Cousins and Waynes in a heartbeat.
That's talent on every Unit minus the O-Line and Kickers. Doesn't mean it will perform. But the talent is inaeguable.
It all starts up front. Vikings offensive line last year was simply awful. Spin your opinions on Cousins or under-performing but in the end, the offensive line dictates how successful a team will be. Not only did our talent suck last year, we had injuries there too. We'll draft 3 offensive linemen this year, with at least one starting, maybe two. Running game keeps defenses fresh. I believe the Vikes will look to Jonah Williams, Chris Lindstrom or Garrett Bradbury in the first and Nate Davis, Ben Powers or Greg Little in the third. They'll give Zimmer a new toy in the second...perhaps Jeffrey Simmons if he slides.
I expect the O-Line to be vastly different by 2020 with the exception of O'Neil.
Count Samia in the 3rd too Lakeerievike.
Quote: @Jor-El said:
@ FSUVike said:
Loaded roster underperformed last year. Either you believe that there was a litany of factors like craptastic OC, Tony passing, no OGs that were League Average, Griff's breakdown, etc., or you think Zimmer can't coach and Cousins is overrated.
I'm not going to argue in either direction. What is inaeguable is that this roster outside of O-Line is very talented.
You and Guru have been expressing this for a couple weeks, and I'm trying to drink the Kool-Aid that 2018 was the anomaly - underperforming.
But - what if 2017 was the anomaly, and the Vikings' roster OVERPERFORMED then, and reverted to normal in 2018??
An anomaly in a series is the one which varies the most from average. The Vikings' regular season wins during Mike Zimmer's tenure have been: 7, 11, 8, 13, and 8. That's an average of 9.4 wins per season. The furthest season from that average - the anomalous outlier - is 13 wins in 2017 (3.6 wins from the average).
"They underperformed in 2018" would fit if this was a team coming off a string of double-digit win seasons and 8 wins was the worst they had done for a long time. But it's not: they had 7 or 8 wins in 3 of Zimmer's season, the most common result. If you discard the largest anomaly (13 wins), as some statistical prediction methods would, Zimmer's average season is 8.5 wins.
Maybe you deem the roster "loaded" based on some measure other than winning games. It may be inarguable that the roster is "very talented" - but teams with less talent seem to win a lot of arguments for victories on the playing field.
In terms of wins, 2018 was not the fluke - 2017 was.
"But - what if 2017 was the anomaly, and the Vikings' roster OVERPERFORMED then, and reverted to normal in 2018??"
Yes they did over perform. Back up QB, RB, and poor offensive line. Further proof is found in the fact it took a 'miracle' to get to the NFCCG, and when they got there, the drubbing they took proved they didn't belong there.
The Vikings do have a lot of talented players, but are they a talented team?
To me they look like a .500 team that has potential to be much better. How often do they live up to their potential?
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